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USC offers 2026 Penn State RB commit Messiah Mickens

On3 imageby: Marshall Levenson11/22/23MarshallLevyOn3
Messiah Mickens
Penn State running back commitment Messiah Mickens. EJ Holland/On3

USC has extended a new offer to elite 2026 running back and Penn State commit Messiah Mickens of Camp Hill (PA) Trinity High.

Mickens 5-foot-10, 195 pounds chose the Nittany Lions in August over the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, and Michigan.

Mickens ranks as the No. 25 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also tabbed in as the No. 2 running back and the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania in the 2026 class.

Mickens burst on to the scene in no time as a freshman. On 136 carries in 14 games, Mickens racked up 1,078 rushing yard and a whopping 19 touchdowns. He also hauled in 16 receptions for 200 yards. Mickens and his teammates won a District III Championship and made it all the way to the PIAA semifinals. 

As a sophomore, he has continued his excellence, toting the rock 105 times through 11 games, accounting for 961 rushing yards and another 14 touchdowns. He has also added 173 yards and three touchdowns in the receiving game.

Mickens has also made some plays on the defensive side of the ball, with 39 tackles and seven tackles for loss in 25 total games of playing on defense.

2026 Class for USC

The 2026 class is off to a hot start for the Trojans. The headliner of the class (and country) is Carrollon (Ga.) five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, who committed to USC earlier this season. 

Lewis ranks as the No. 1 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also tabbed in as the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia in the 2026 class.

Also, committed in the class are local standouts, Los Angeles (Cal.) Loyola cornerback and No. 11 overall prospect Brandon Lockhart, Los Alamitos (Calif.) wide receiver Ja’Myron Baker, and Pasadena (Calif.) Sierra Canyon athlete Madden Riordan.

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Garry Paskwietz (1966-2019)

Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz